Read 1,000 Jewish Recipes Online
Authors: Faye Levy
1,000 Jewish Recipes (228 page)
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 medium yellow or green bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1
1
â
2
cups long-grain white rice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1
â
2
teaspoon ground turmeric (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or Italian parsley
1.
Combine lentils, stock, and
1
â
2
cup water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium heat about 20 minutes or until lentils are just tender. Drain liquid into a measuring cup and add enough water to make 3 cups; reserve.
2.
Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Add onion and bell peppers and sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until onions begin to brown. Add jalapeño pepper and cumin and sauté 30 seconds.
3.
Add measured liquid to pan of lentils and bring to a boil. Add rice, oregano, turmeric if using, salt, and pepper and return to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat without stirring 10 minutes. Spoon onion-pepper mixture over rice but do not stir. Cover and cook 8 to 10 more minutes or until rice is tender. Fluff with a fork and mix in onion-pepper mixture and 2 tablespoons cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot, sprinkled with remaining cilantro.
Greens and chickpeas are a beloved combination among Jews from Middle Eastern countries. This dish is very easy to make if you use rinsed spinach leaves and canned chickpeas and is surprisingly tasty for so little effort. Serve it as a vegetarian entree with rice or as an accompaniment for chicken, beef, or lamb. In some Lebanese families the tomatoes and tomato paste are omitted and the dish is served cold, with lemon wedges.
1 pound spinach or a 10-ounce bag rinsed spinach leaves
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1
â
3
cup vegetable stock or water
Two 15- or 16-ounce cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1.
Discard thick spinach stems. Rinse leaves and small stems. Cut or tear into bite-size pieces.
2.
Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and sauté over medium heat 7 minutes. Add garlic and paprika and sauté 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and stock and stir until blended. Bring to a simmer. Add chickpeas and return to a simmer. Add spinach, cover, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, about 3 minutes or until spinach is just wilted. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne.
A Sephardic salsa of garlic, parsley, capers, lemon juice, and olive oil gives spirit to this colorful American bean and corn medley. You can serve it as a pareve entree any time, but it's festive enough for holiday meals, too. Try it for Purim, Shavuot, or a meatless Shabbat dinner.
1 small clove garlic, peeled
1
â
2
cup sprigs fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
1
â
4
cup diced onion
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1
â
2
teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
1
â
2
cup vegetable stock or water
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
Two 15-ounce cans black beans, drained
1 large red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1 tablespoon strained fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1.
Chop garlic in food processor. Add parsley and process together until finely chopped. Add capers and onion and chop together with brief pulses. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir 3 tablespoons oil into anchovy paste, if using, in a cup, until well blended. Add to parsley mixture.
2.
Bring stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add corn, cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes or until ten- der. Add beans and heat through. Drain and add to bowl of parsley-caper salsa. Add diced red pepper, cilantro if using, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve hot or warm.
A friend from Morocco uses a garlic-cumin-cilantro dressing on potato salads and green salads. I find the aromatic dressing is also delicious with beans. These savory beans are easy to prepare and festive enough to serve as a party dish. Make them spicier, if you like, with more jalapeño or omit it for a milder dish. Hot, cooked rice or couscous salad are good accompaniments.
1
1
â
3
cups dried black beans or two 15-ounce cans, drained
1 whole small onion, peeled (optional)
1 bay leaf (optional)
1 quart water
1
Grilled Bell Pepper
or jarred roasted red pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
2 large cloves garlic, pressed or very finely minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
2 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely minced, or harissa or hot pepper sauce, to taste
1
â
2
medium red onion, finely chopped
4 plum tomatoes, diced
1
â
3
cup chopped fresh cilantro
Fresh cilantro sprigs
Lemon wedges
1.
If using dried beans, rinse and sort them. Put them in a saucepan with whole onion and bay leaf if using, a pinch of salt, and 1 quart water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 1 to 1
1
â
2
hours or until tender. Discard onion and bay leaf.
2.
Prepare grilled pepper, if using homemade. Cut pepper into thin strips and reserve. Whisk 1 tablespoon lemon juice with garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, cayenne, and 2 tablespoons oil in a medium serving bowl. Add jalapeño pepper.
3.
With a slotted spoon, remove beans from their cooking liquid, drain them and put them in bowl of dressing; you can use cooking liquid in soups.
4.
Mix cooked or canned beans gently with dressing. Add chopped red onion, roasted pepper strips, tomatoes, and cilantro and gently mix again. Adjust seasoning. Add more lemon juice and oil if needed. Serve hot or cold, garnished with cilantro sprigs and lemon wedges.
Sofrito
is a Spanish flavoring for all sorts of foods. In the Spanish Caribbean islands, it is made of sautéed peppers, onions, garlic, and cilantro and often includes nonkosher meat. A man from Cuba, who grew up as part of the small Jewish community there, told me about this meatless version made in his family. It's quick and easy to make and spices up beans and vegetables. Serve with hot, cooked rice or baked potatoes.
One 1-pound bag or two 10-ounce boxes frozen lima beans
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small green or red bell pepper, finely diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh or canned jalapeño or other chile
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1
â
2
teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1.
Cook lima beans according to package directions.
2.
Heat oil in a medium, heavy skillet or sauté pan. Add onion and bell pepper and sauté over medium-low heat, stirring often, about 10 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper and sauté 1 minute, stirring.
3.
Drain lima beans and combine with onion mixture. Heat 1 to 2 minutes over low heat to blend flavors.
Serving black-eyed peas for a new year of good luck is a popular Rosh Hashanah custom among Sephardic Jews and in the American South. As with all legumes, they are a nutritious way to start the year. Use them frozen, dried, or choose the fast-cooking type available in the produce section. Rice, bulgur wheat, orzo, or pasta shells are good accompaniments.
1
3
â
4
cups or a 14
1
â
2
-ounce can vegetable broth
One 1-pound package frozen black-eyed peas (2
1
â
2
cups)
2 cups fresh or frozen green beans
1 large carrot, sliced
1
â
2
red onion, chopped